Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the initiatives and opportunities that will be coming on stream to give hope to newly qualified teachers as they leave college and seek employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40575/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising unemployed registered teachers over retired registered teachers and registered teachers over unregistered persons.

Each principal must report to his or her board of management on a regular basis on the fact that a list of unemployed registered teachers is being maintained, and the circumstances in which he or she has had to engage a registered teacher in receipt of a pension under a public service pension scheme or an unregistered person.

Also in October last year my Department issued circular 46/2011 which permits schools to participate in JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme. This programme provides work experience placements for interns for a 6 or 9 month period. Interns receive an allowance of €50 per week on top of their existing social welfare entitlement. In the event that a primary teacher, who is conditionally registered with the Teaching council and who obtains a placement in an internship, can meet the conditions associated with the operation of the primary probationary process as outlined in circular 47/2011, there will be nothing to preclude him or her from applying to be probated. Limerick Education Centre administers the probationary process on behalf of the Inspectorate and applications for the evaluation of professional competence aspect of the probationary process should be addressed to Limerick Education Centre.